NHTSA Complaint #11013992 — 2005 JEEP WRANGLER

THE 2005 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT WAS A TOTAL LOSS AFTER IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND SEVERELY DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT JUST HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE TRANSMISSION ISSUES DESPITE THE NEW TRANSMISSION (INCLUDING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING AND A LOSS OF POWER WHILE GOING UPHILL). WHILE DRIVING UPHILL, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE DRIVER RAN FROM THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR - NEAR THE TRANSMISSION PAN. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES WITHIN 2 MINUTES. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION WILL BE COMPLETED TO DETERMINE IF A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK CAUSED THE FIRE. THE JEEP WRANGLER WAS A RIGHT HAND DRIVE THAT WAS BEING USED ON THE MAIL ROUTE THE DAY THAT THE FIRE OCCURRED.